Too risky: Labor stands firm on nuclear power

Page Tools

Labor politicians raised the spectre of terrorists using nuclear
technology to help reaffirm opposition to a domestic nuclear power
industry at yesterday's NSW ALP conference.

The federal Labor parliamentarians Anthony Albanese and Peter
Garrett rejected a recent call by the Premier, Bob Carr, for a
national debate on the merits of nuclear energy.

But they left Mr Carr room to manoeuvre, noting debate over
nuclear energy had occurred over the past half century and "will
continue into the future".

At the Queensland Labor conference in Cairns, the Premier, Peter
Beattie, also also rejected a nuclear power industry, though for
different reasons, arguing it would jeopardise the coal industry
and harm state revenues..

Mr Albanese, the Member for Grayndler, said proponents of
nuclear energy had been unable to prove their point up to this time
and governments should look for cleaner energy alternatives, such
gas-fired power, in the face of climate change.

He said the real truth about nuclear power lay in the fact the
Prime Minister, John Howard, always promised no nuclear waste dumps
in the lead-up to state and federal elections but, as soon as the
elections were over, said all options were open.

"The intractable problems associated with nuclear power, such as
long life radioactive waste, industrial and community safety,
emergency procedures and nuclear weapon proliferation are still
there today," Mr Albanese said.

"In the climate of international terrorism the issue of nuclear
proliferation is even more extensive than it has ever been."

Mr Garrett, the Member for Kingsford Smith and a former
president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the
problems with nuclear power were obvious, the energy source not
only being dangerous but offering the worse value for money for
employment and job creation.

It was a choice, Mr Garrett said, between " three people and a
computer inside a toxic-producing nuclear waste system as opposed
to the greater employment and job opportunities that exist in the
alternatives makes nuclear a no-brainer".

In his speech to the conference on Saturday, Mr Carr sought to
reinforce his green credentials, announcing a tougher than expected
emissions target for 2020 and an aspirational target for 2050,
cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent.

An early version of the Government's electricity white paper,
obtained by the Herald, suggested the State Government would
require a return to 2002 carbon emission levels only. But Mr Carr
intervened to toughen the target.

The real test for Mr Carr will come next month when he unveils
his entire electricity plan.

To address future power needs of a growing population, NSW will
need to increase its baseload electricity capacity.

Green groups have been urging Mr Carr to rule out a new
coal-fired station and opt for cleaner but more expensive gas-fired
co-generation, which produces roughly half the greenhouse gas
emissions.

Mr Carr is expected to leave the choice of technology open and
instead impose emissions standards for future plants.

With emissions offsets such as investing in renewables and
carbon trading, it may still be possible to build a "clean coal"
plant.

At the weekend, Mr Carr announced two new gas-fired power
stations, at Tomago in the Hunter valley and Uranquinty near
Wagga.